The DAISY Foundation Joins with AACN to Launch New National Recognition Program for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty

The DAISY Foundation Joins with AACN to Launch New National
Recognition Program for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 6, 2010 – In recognition of National Nurses Week, The DAISY Foundation and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) today announced the creation of a new awards program for outstanding nurse educators at colleges and universities nationwide. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty provides nursing schools with a national recognition program designed to honor teachers for their commitment and inspirational influence on future generations of nurses.

“AACN applauds The DAISY Foundation for its work to champion the critical roles nurses play in the healthcare system and in schools of nursing,” said AACN President Kathleen Potempa. “AACN welcomes this opportunity to collaborate with the foundation on this new program that rewards excellence in teaching and celebrates the profound impact nursing faculty have on developing future leaders of the nursing profession.”

This recognition program is modeled after a similar effort launched in 1999 for practicing nurses called The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Presented in collaboration with the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the American Nurses Credentialing Center, nearly 6,000 nurses in 485 healthcare organizations in the U.S. and Canada have received this prestigious honor. The DAISY Foundation’s commitment to nursing is further demonstrated by the philanthropy’s development of the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects in 2007.

"So often bedside nurses who receive The DAISY Award tell us about the voices in their ear of the teachers who help guide their practice throughout their careers,” said Bonnie Barnes, DAISY Foundation President and Co-Founder. “We have come to understand well the profound effect and inspiration nurse educators have on their students and the future of healthcare. We sincerely hope The DAISY Faculty Award will help educators understand how much their efforts are appreciated. We are thrilled to collaborate with AACN as their guidance and exposure of the faculty award will ensure its positive effect on nursing."

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty is a turnkey program that provides schools of nursing with all the tools and resources needed to recognize expertise and excellence among faculty teaching at all levels. Honorees may be nominated by students, peers, clinical staff in affiliated practice sites, and school administrators. As with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, faculty award recipients will be chosen by participating institutions, not by The DAISY Foundation or AACN. Specific criteria will be defined by each participating nursing school to ensure that the program fits the school’s unique culture. Schools will determine how many awards to grant each year and the most appropriate venue for an awards presentation.

Schools electing to participate in this program will receive guidance from The DAISY Foundation, including recommended criteria for award selection, program implementation guidelines, and access to an online “tool kit” featuring a nomination form, an award presentation checklist, draft press release, and key contact information. In addition to national exposure and recognition by AACN and the foundation, each award winner will receive a gift package, which includes a hand-carved Healer’s Touch sculpture, a DAISY Faculty Award pin, and an official award certificate. For each award given to a faculty member, schools would pay a $100 fee to cover the cost for the award gift package.

To find out more about how your school can participate in this program, contact Bonnie Barnes at The DAISY Foundation (707-996-7936 or bonniebarnes@daisyfoundation.org).

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The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by members of Patrick Barnes’ family. Pat died at age 33 of complications from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. The family was with Pat for the eight weeks he was hospitalized, and they were awed by not only the clinical skill, but also the incredible compassion they experienced from the nurses who cared for him and his family. When Pat died, his family felt compelled to do something to say “thank you!” to nurses around the country, so they created The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Over the last ten years, The DAISY Foundation’s passion for serving the nursing profession has grown, demonstrated by the addition in 2007 of the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects. www.daisyfoundation.org

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for university and four-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 640 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN's educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor's- and graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice. Website: www.aacn.nche.edu